1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a sports boot and, more specifically, a sports boot adapted to the practice of skating, such as an in-line skate or an ice skate. The invention is also related to such a skate, as well as to the method for manufacturing a boot and skate.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
There exist several categories of boots intended for skating. Among them, one can find boots with upwardly extending shells having a journalled collar and an inner padded lining. This construction is a derivative of the alpine ski boot. In particular, the shell is made of a relatively rigid plastic material. There are numerous disadvantages to this type of construction. For example, these skates are considered to be "hot" to the wearer and provide little ventilation for the foot. These skates are also considered to be uncomfortable, due to the rigidity of the shell and of the collar that completely surround the foot and the lower part of the leg.
Another known type of construction, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,461, consists of providing a boot that is formed entirely by a flexible upper, at least partially ventilated, and mounted on a sole base, and to associate thereto discrete rigidifying elements, such as a heel reinforcement and a collar journalled externally on the reinforcement. The advantage of such a construction is that it provides greater flexibility along with maximum comfort and freedom of movement. Such a construction is also better adapted to foot ventilation. However, the rigid outer parts contribute to the lateral retention of the ankle and the lower part of the leg for reasons of stability and safety, while allowing a substantial front/rear bending freedom when skating. Nevertheless, even this type of construction has disadvantages: one of the main drawbacks is the relatively high cost of manufacturing due to the fact that one must design a truly flexible boot structure, and then associate thereto, via appropriate connection means, rigid external reinforcement elements. The design necessitates calling upon the traditional techniques of sewing, gluing, hot forming, "mold" mounting and other techniques used in the manufacture of traditional boots.
Patent application EP-A1-780 062, for example, describes another type of boot that can be adapted to in-line skating and that is a compromise between the upwardly extending shell category made entirely of a rigid plastic material, possibly punched with ventilation holes, and boots with flexible uppers that are partially reinforced with rigid plastic elements. The construction has a rigid outer shell base, a journalled collar attached onto the shell and a liner (or inner shoe) that is housed in the shell.
However, such a construction also has its drawbacks. One of them is that its construction remains a complex and expensive undertaking, and its assembly is delicate. Indeed, the collar has to be mounted rotationally on the shell base after the placement of the liner in the shell base. Then, it must be fixed to the inner padding via additional manual operations such as gluing, sewing, or on-site molding. Another drawback derives from the fact that a part of the flexible covering of the collar is sandwiched between the collar and the shell about a pivot point. This part is therefore subject to repeated friction, leading to the rapid wear and tear of the flexible divider part capable of providing a clearance between the collar and the shell and of quickly deteriorating the aesthetic appearance of the boot.
In addition, there exist numerous variations for skating boots, such as those described in the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,466; International Patent Publication No. WO 95/15094; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,385,456; 5,331,752; 3,807,062; and International Patent Publication NO. WO 97/48458.
French Patent Publication No. 2 759 553, commonly owned with the instant application, is related to a boot having a rigid frame, constituted of at least one rigid sole part and one heel reinforcement, and it includes an upper that is at least partially flexible with a part in the shape of a cover corresponding to the shape of a rigid frame adapted to be threaded onto the rigid frame, the cover being equipped with means for connecting it to the rigid frame. An object of the invention is to provide a boot structure that reconciles the advantages and appearance of a flexible boot with the rigidity and ankle retention advantages of a rigid boot. The present invention proposes improving upon this type of construction. Consequently, French Patent Publication No. 2 759 553, is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.